Posts Tagged ‘band’
Posted by glennled on September 22, 2015
When school started this fall at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, there was a new faculty member in the music department for the first time in 15 years. Welcome to Mr. Charlie Fix, Band and Orchestra Director. Mr. Fix has a Masters Degree in Music Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin. Like his predecessor at Skyview, Mr. Fix is a trumpeter!
Mr. Fix has previously taught at Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, Carlsbad Unified School District in California, and Mount Vernon Community Schools in Iowa. He has taught music at all levels, elementary, junior high, and high school, in addition to teaching as a graduate assistant at Florida State.
Here at SJHS, he has three para-professional assistants to help with the 1st and 2nd year elementary bands. One teaches flutes, one teaches clarinets and saxes, and the other teaches brass–that’s me!
Posted in Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, brass, Charlie Fix, orchestra, Skyview Jr. High School, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on September 21, 2015
My 25th private trumpet student wanted help this summer to prepare for entry into the 7th-grade band at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell this fall. You see, last year he was a sixth-grader in the 1st-year band, whereas most of his classmates had started one year earlier and were then in 2nd-year band. This fall he is one of them. But they have had two-year’s experience, whereas he has had only one. Along with some other band students, he’s skipping 2nd-year band. Summer lessons were his way to catch up, as much as possible, with his peers.
His first trumpet lesson with me was on 8 July. That’s when I learned he is of Vietnamese ancestry. His grandmother, who lives with his family in Bothell, got out of South Vietnam in 1975. Welcome to America! I was there as a Navy man in 1965-66. That’s how I qualify for the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), and that’s how I became the bugler for VFW Post 1040 in Lynnwood. I have a special tie with this student.
He’s a good player with a bright future. He says he likes the sound of the trumpet, and it’s lightweight and easy to carry. He learns quickly and has a nice, solid tone. Best of all, he has a great attitude and practices often! He’ll do fine in 7th-grade band—indeed, I predict that he’ll become one of the leaders in the trumpet section.
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts | Tagged: band, bugler, lesson, Skyview Jr. High School, tone, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on September 20, 2015
Posted in Recitals | Tagged: band, bugle, Carnegie Hall, Inglemoor High School, lessons, recital, The Chicken Dance, trumpet, Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat Major, trumpeter, wind ensemble | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on September 19, 2015
After 15 successful years as Director of Instrumental Music at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, Mr. Shawn McGinn is leaving for California in the coming months.
He conducted his final elementary school bands concert on 27 May at the Northshore Performing Arts Center (NPAC) at Bothell High School. The two bands (1st year and 2nd year) are comprised of students from nearby Crystal Springs, Canyon Creek, and Fernwood elementary schools.
The 1st year band played Bang the Drum All Day (I Don’t Want to Work) by Todd Rundgren, arranged by Michael Story.
As guest conductor, I then led the 2nd year band in playing Andromeda Overture by Mark Williams.
Finally, both bands joined in playing William Tell Overture by Gioacchino Rossini, arranged by Andrew Balent.
The concert concluded with a jazz trio jam session featuring piano, tenor sax, and flugelhorn, played by Mr. McGinn.
Posted in School Concerts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: Andromeda Overture, band, concert, flugelhorn, jazz, music, Northshore Performing Arts Center, Shawn McGinn, Skyview Jr. High School, William Tell Overture | 2 Comments »
Posted by glennled on May 5, 2015
Fernwood Elementary School, Bothell
For his first lesson at his home in Bothell on 26 February 2015 , my 24th trumpet student played for me from the instruction book, Progressive Beginner Trumpet by Peter Gelling. He’s a sixth-grader at Fernwood Elementary and in 2nd year band at Skyview Jr. High School. I asked him what first attracted him to trumpet. “It’s loud,” he said, so it stands out among the other band instruments as a leader, “and I like that.”
What does he like about playing in the band? He likes being amongst his friends, and he likes playing music, although it does not come easy for him. He wants lessons to improve his tone and play higher notes. He’d like to continue in band at least all the way through high school. He knows the music is only going to get more complicated, so he wants to be able to handle it.
His Dad is confident that his son will master the trumpet because he has determination—once he sets out to do something, he sticks with it and gets it done. Mom was a versatile musician in high school. She played tuba, trombone, saxophone, and oboe, and became a drum major in her school band.
That’s what I like—motivated trumpet students who are determined to become their best!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, Fernwood, lesson, music, musician, notes, Peter Gelling, Skyview, tone, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on May 2, 2015
2015 NSD 6th Grade Honors Orchestra (left), Choir (center), and Band (right)
In a stellar performance, three honors groups—the best NSD musicians of 2015—entertained a packed house at Northshore Junior High School in Bothell on 10 February at the annual Northshore School District’s (NSD’s) Sixth Grade Honors Concert.
NSD 6th Grade Honors Band (right), Choir (center), and Orchestra (left)
First was the Honors Orchestra, conducted by Jim Rice of Inglemoor High School. Next was the Honors Choir, conducted by Kyra Renstorf of Woodinville High School and Leota Junior High School. Finally was the Honors Band, conducted by Janie McDavid of Shelton View Elementary and Kenmore Junior High School. [Incidentally, Mrs. McDavid’s husband is Dr. Brad McDavid, Director of Athletic Bands, University of Washington, who is featured in numerous posts in this blog.] Each group performed four pieces. The program was emceed by Ted Christensen of Inglemoor High School (IHS), who is Music Coordinator for the Northshore School District. This is his 32nd year at IHS.
Below is a gallery of photos from the concert. As usual in this blog, I highlight trumpeters in the band, three of whom I teach at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. In all, Skyview contributed 12 musicians to the Honors Band. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Jim Rice conducts 2015 Honors Orchestra
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Ted Christensen emcees the 2015 Honors Concert
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Krya Renstorf conducts 2015 Honors Choir
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Janie McDavid conducts 2015 Honors Band
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Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: band, choir, concert, Dr. Brad McDavid, honors, Janie McDavid, Jim Rice, Kyra Renstorf, Northshore School District, NSD, orchestra, Shawn McGinn, Ted Christensen, trumpeters | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 29, 2015
Mr. Jim Rice conducts IHS Symphonic Band
This year’s “Winter Holiday Concert” at Inglemoor High School’s (IHS’s) Performing Arts Gymnasium in Kenmore on 18 December 2014, started with about 30 minutes of music by the school’s jazz band, as the full-house audience arrived and got seated in the grandstands. They played Bernard’s “Winter Wonderland,” among other tunes. Mr. Jim Rice is the Jazz Band Director, and he also conducted the Symphonic Band (including “Themes from ‘The Nutcracker'”) and String Orchestra (Holtz’s “In the Bleak Midwinter”).
Mr. Ted Christensen directed both the String Orchestra (Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”) and the Wind Symphony (including “Flourish for Wind Band”). The Wind Ensemble featured 8 new cornets in “The Sussex Mummers’ Christmas Carol” by Richard Franko Golman. Mr. Christensen is not only the IHS Band Director but also the Northshore School District Music Coordinator. This is Mr. Christensen’s 32nd year at IHS. The Wind Ensemble took a trip in April 2015 to play at the “Ring of Fire” Concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City.
The Concert Choir, Belle Voci, and Chamber Choir were directed by Teresa Sullivan, who is both IHS Choir Director and Music Department Chair.
Below is a photo gallery of the concert. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Jim Rice (left), IHS Jazz Band Director
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Flugelhorn solo
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Teresa Sullivan conducts IHS Concert Choir
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IHS Symphonic Band (left)
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Jim Rice conducts IHS Symphonic Band
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IHS Belle Voci (right)
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IHS Belle Voci
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Jim Rice conducts IHS String Orchestra
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Ted Christensen conducts IHS String Orchestra
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Curt Hayes, Inglemoor Instrumental Music Boosters
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IHS Chamber Choir
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Teresa Sullivan conducts IHS Chamber Choir
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IHS Wind Ensemble (left)
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Ted Christensen conducts IHS Wind Ensemble
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For a more smooth, mellow sound, the Wind Ensemble uses 8 new cornets
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Posted in Inglemoor High School, School Concerts | Tagged: band, Carnegie Hall, choir, concert, cornets, IHS, Inglemoor High School, jazz, Jim Rice, music, orchestra, symphonic, symphony, Ted Christensen, Teresa Sullivan | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 16, 2015
On 4 December 2014, the two elementary bands (1st year and 2nd year) which are affiliated with Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell played their first concert of the school year in front of an adoring, proud crowd of parents, relatives and friends in the cafeteria/auditorium. Below is a photo gallery of the concert, with an emphasis on the brass section, whom I teach. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, conducted the concert and graciously allowed me to conduct the final piece by the 2nd-year band. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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1st-year elementary band prepares for the 2014 holiday concert
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Featuring the 12 flutes
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Featuring the 18 clarinets
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Featuring the 6 trumpets and 6 trombones
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Featuring the 13 percussion
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2nd-year elementary band
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Mr. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, Skyview Jr. High, Bothell
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Posted in School Concerts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 14, 2015
Shorewood Thunderbirds
Grandma knows best—that’s why she sent me an email on 10 November 2014, about starting trumpet lessons with her grandson, a freshman in the band at Shorewood High School in Shoreline, WA, just north of Seattle. “He seems to enjoy the school band,” she wrote, “but I would like him to be successful, and wonder if you would have time to schedule him for some lessons.” And so we began.
What I found during our first session at his home was that some of his fundamentals were weak. His embouchure formation was fine and his tone decent, but his note recognition was not yet automatic and his upper range was too low. Developing embouchure strength and increasing range is pretty straightforward. However, developing automatic note recognition, reflexive fingering, and embouchure slotting can be very problematic for some students. I selected two instruction books for him: I Recommend by James D. Ployhar and Exercises for Ensemble Drill by Raymond C. Fussell. Other books will follow if he wants to develop further.
What does it mean to him to play trumpet well? He will have more confidence, enjoy playing music more, develop closer friendships, and have more fun in band. He’s on his way to becoming Grandma’s success story!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts | Tagged: band, Exercises for Ensemble Drill, fingering, I Recommend, James D. Ployhar, lessons, music, note, Raymond C. Fussell, Shorewood High School, slotting, Thunderbirds, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 13, 2015
Chris Botti, trumpeter
Natalie Dungey. trumpeter
“We’re a musical family!” says the Mom of my 22nd trumpet student, a 7th grade student at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. His first lesson with me was on 1 July. He plays his Mom’s trumpet, the one her parents bought for her when she was in 10th grade at age 16. (Her Dad played cornet.) She made All-State Band in Texas, and now her son (13), has an even loftier ambition–to become a professional musician and play “awesome” trumpet. His favorite trumpeter is Chris Botti (www.chrisbotti.com/us), and he’s a great admirer of Natalie Dungey (www.nataliedungey.com).
He likes classical music but also plays in the school jazz band, which he says helps him make different sounds and improves his ability to read music. Within the past year, he’s taken up drums (his Dad plays drums) and tinkers around on the piano. He’s started a composition for an ensemble of 2 trumpets, 2 violas, 1 tuba, 1 snare drum, 1 alto sax, and 1 flute. Meanwhile, he also wrestles and plays soccer. And his older sister sings and plays piano, guitar, and clarinet, while his younger sister “sings like a mocking bird,” says her Mom.
Why did he choose trumpet? Because it has such a “powerful sound that it hits you in the face, but at the same time it can make soft sounds that are pure beauty.” Right on!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, Chris Botti, classical, drums, ensemble, jazz, lesson, musical, Natalie Dungey, piano, trumpet, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 